George b



(No Model.)

G. B. RANSOM.

Railroad Spike.

No. 242,558. atentedlune 7.188I.

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NTTEE STATES PATENT EFicE.

GEORGE B. RANSOM, OF SMITHTOWN, NEW YORK.

RAlLROAD-SPI KE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,558, dated June '7', 1881.

Application filed September 1, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. RANsoM, of Smithtown, county of Suffolk, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Railroad- Spikes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spike to be used in securing the rail of a railroad to the crosstie.

The spike now in common use is formed with an oblong head upon one side of the spike, and the head bent outward from the body of the spike to an obtuse angle. This mode is objectionable, for the reason that that portion of the rail to which the spike is applied is also formed of an angle or inclined plane the opposite of that of the under side of the spike, and consequently when the spike is driven into the tie the angle upon the head of the spike fits to the angle of the rail and the edge of the rail comes in contact with the under side of the head of the spike at a point that is calculated to lift perpendicularly, thus affording the best means of drawing the spike from the tie, producing a result the very opposite of that which is desired.

In my invention I form an oblong head upon one side of the spike and bend the head of the spike in toward the body of the spike to an angle sufiicient to bring the point of the head in contact with the rail, so as to leave an open space between the point of the head of the spike and the edge of the rail, as represented in Fig. 2. By this means I produce a lateral (No model.)

tact with the rail and the open space 0, as described.

The object of this invention is to furnish a spike that will not be liable to draw from the tie by the jar and spring of the rails that are consequent upon the running of trains over them. By the method now in common use the spikes are being continually drawn from the tie, and great labor and expense are required to keep them in place.

Bymy method much expense will be avoided and greater safety secured.

I claim- A spike with the point of the head bent in toward the body of the spike to a pointinside of a right angle to the plane or body of the spike sufficient to bring the point of the head of the spike in contact with the rail and leave an open space between the point of the head and the edge of the rail, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE B. RANSOM.

Witnesses W. BENJAMIN JAYNEs, W. S. DARLING. 

